How to Reduce the Energy Costs of Your Washing Machine

Washing machines our one of the great inventions of the modern world. These clever little devices have kept household garments clean for many years and their convenience is obvious. No longer do people have to scrub and rinse their clothes by hand or make their way to the local launderette as they did back in history. In the world we live in today, this innovation has indeed become a regular fixture along with the rest of the white goods in the average kitchen or utility room. However this convenience does come at a price because the average washing machine traditionally will use vast amounts of water. In addition, they will also consume a certain amount of electricity which is far greater than if you were to wash by hand. That said there are some models out there that have been designed specifically with the environment in mind.

The eco-friendly Washing Machine

The environmentally friendly washing machine will tend to have an energy efficient classification. These will be endorsed by the ‘Energy Saving Trust. A machine with an ‘A’ rating is the most efficient with ratings going down to ‘G’. Most of the appliances will be in the A and B categories as manufacturers compete to make the most efficient models. In fact it’s quite common to see models displaying A+++ classification. Whilst these are not official EU ratings, they will highlight their superiority over the standard ‘A’ rated models.Eco friendly washing machines are becoming very popular. Models from manufacturers such as ‘Gorenje’ use cutting edge technology such as ‘UseLogic’. This technology utilises sensors which continually monitor the purity and content of the water and adjust accordingly depending on each individual wash. These washing machines also have very high rpm’s (up to 2000) which have the effect of leaving much less water in the clothes after the cycle thereby requiring less time to dry. Some Gorenje machines have a ‘Total Aqua Stop’ function which eradicates the problem of leakages whereby sensors will detect any water loss from pipes and subsequently cut off the water supply to the washing machine.These machines will typically use up to 10% less electricity than those of standard ‘A’ class models. They are also very kind to the environment in terms of water consumption since all the machines use approximately 39 litres of water per wash without compromising on performance. Larger drums also allow for further efficiencies since fewer wash cycles are required to get through a typical family’s laundry.

Saving Energy and Money

Many of us don’t realise that we should be turning off the machine from the mains (i.e. plug socket) since if the lights are still on, the machine will be using some electricity despite completing its cycle. Turning this off is something which will need to be done on a regular basis as over time these incremental costs of electricity will soon mount up.Another thing to consider is maybe not using the washing machine as much as you may have been used to. If you limit the appliance’s use to certain days of the week, then you will not get stuck into a habit of constant daily washing. In addition, when you do use the machine, you should try to use it at night time when the unit cost of electricity is typically much cheaper.These tips we have discussed should benefit you in many ways. For more information on washing machines and problems encountered, feel free to read our other related guides on how to disconnect and reconnect a washing machine.